STEVE FRANKLIN, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. 6829 Gravois Ave. 314-517-8383

St. Louis, MO 63116 FAX 203-738-4036 www.SteveFranklinMSW.com SteveFranklin@JUNO.com

ADAM (2009) 

Director/Screenwriter Max Mayer 

Starring 

Hugh Dancy AdamRose Byrne Beth

Frankie Faison Harlan 

Peter Gallagher Beth’s Parents Amy Irving Marty & Rebecca

The project begins….

about 2003: Max Mayer hears an interview

on NPR/Fresh Airwith a boy who has Asperger’s Disorder

He saw the condition

as a metaphor

for relationships in general

6-8 months:Researched Aspergers

5 months: Outlined 4 months: writing a draft

3 ½ years passing it around, getting feedback

Finally, production of the movie

“… I wasn’t making a movie about Asperger Syndrome.  I felt like the more I learned about Asperger Syndrome,

the better metaphor it felt like to me for relationships in general,  

“so although I wanted to be accurate

and represent the syndrome realistically,

the movie is about relationships and

the essential human condition,

that all of us desire connection or intimate connection or romantic connection or deep connections to other people, and yet we sit up here in our own brains isolated that all of us desire connection or intimate connection or romantic connection or deep connections to other people, and yet we sit up here in our own brains isolated that all of us desire connection or intimate connection or romantic connection or deep connections to other people, and yet we sit up here in our own brains isolated

“that all of us desire connection or intimate connection or romantic

connection or deep connections

to other people, and yet we sit up here

in our own brains isolated

and not being able to actually get into

someone else’s mind and walk around and

see their interior landscape or feel their feelings or

see the world through their eyes.

Asperger’s Disorder (DSM-IV)Asperger’s Syndrome (ICD 10)

Asperger Disorder Asperger Syndrome

 “Autistic Spectrum Disorder”

(DSM-V) 

“Aspie’s”

Unusual preoccupation with particular subject

Repetitive routines or rituals

Peculiarities of speech/language

Difficulty with socially & emotionally appropriate behaviors, peer interactions

Problems with non-verbal communication (gestures, reading facial cues)

Human Spectrum….

 

“And this differs from normal men

in what way?”

Reactions from “Aspie” community

 Some are

very happy with the depiction

Some are irritated and don’t feel it’s accurate.

“Actually there is a saying in the Asperger community…

‘If you know one person with Aspergers, then you know one person with Aspergers’

so people with Aspergers are

as various as the rest of us and so

I was very careful to write a character, not write a syndrome. “

Things to look for,

maybe to discuss later….

What seems to be an expression of Asperger’s Disorder

in AdamHow does he deal with it? How does he compensate?

 How does this compare

to the problems and compensations of other characters?

My definition of normal: 

We strive to understand our strengths and weaknesses,

our likes and dislikes,

and then make adjustmentsto live in this world.

What defines the line between

“Normal complications of intimate relationships” to

“Psychopathogical Behavior”?

There is a scene where he talks about

what he is feeling, what he wants

from a relationship with Beth.

Is there anything peculiar about what he says?

Also, look from a

“Positive Psychology” viewpoint

Wisdom and Knowledge: creativity, curiosity, open-mindedness, love of learning, perspective

Courage: bravery, persistence, integrity, vitality

Humanity: love, kindness, social intelligence

Justice: citizenship, fairness, leadership

Temperance: forgiveness and mercy, humility, prudence, self control

Transcendence: appreciation of beauty and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor, spirituality

Wisdom and Knowledge– Cognitive strengths

that entail the acquisition and use of

knowledge

Judgment & Open-Mindedness [critical thinking]:

Thinking things through and examining them from all sides;

not jumping to conclusions; being able to change one's mind

in light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly

Love of Learning: Mastering new skills,

topics, and bodies of knowledge, whether on one's own or formally;

obviously related to the strength of curiosity

but goes beyond it to describe the tendency

to add systematically to what one knows.

Perspective [wisdom]: Being able to

provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the

world that make sense to oneself and to other people

Courage – Emotional strengths

that involve the exercise of will to accomplish goals

in the face of opposition, external or internal

Bravery [valor]: Not shrinking from

threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain; speaking up for what is right

even if there is opposition; acting on convictions

even if unpopular; includes physical bravery

but is not limited to it

Perseverance [persistence, industriousness]:

Finishing what one starts; persisting in a course of action

in spite of obstacles; “getting it out the door”;

taking pleasure in completing tasks

Honesty [authenticity, integrity]: Speaking the truth but more broadly

presenting oneself in a genuine way and acting in a sincere way;

being without pretense; taking responsibility

for one's feelings and actions

Humanity – Interpersonal strengths

that involve tending and befriending others

Capacity to Love and Be Loved: Valuing close relations

with others, in particular those in which

sharing and caring are reciprocated; being close to

people

Social Intelligence [emotional intelligence, personal intelligence]: Being aware of the

motives and feelings of other people and oneself;

knowing what to do to fit into different social situations;

knowing what makes other people tick

ADAM (2009) 

Director/Screenwriter Max Mayer 

Starring 

Hugh Dancy AdamRose Byrne Beth

Frankie Faison Harlan 

Peter Gallagher Beth’s Parents Amy Irving Marty & Rebecca

TRIVIA FACT OF THE DAY:

Hugh Dancy (Adam)

is married to

TRIVIA FACT OF THE DAY:

Hugh Dancy (Adam)

is married to

Claire Danes (Temple Grandin)

http://www.usautism.org/ http://www.autistictv.com http://www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org/http://www.autism-society.org/about-autism/aspergers-syndrome/http://www.danmarinofoundation.org/about.htmlhttp://www.autismone.org/http://www.autismspeaks.org/http://www.aspergersyndrome.org/http://www.facebook.com/aspergersawarenesspagehttp://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/asperger/detail_asperger.htmhttp://www.touchpointautism.org/ http://www.mha-em.org/